Cupid's Target
by Adamantwrites
Summary: Cupid runs amuck in Virginia City and has a little fun using the C's for target practice. Posted by request.


Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings are the property of the respective owners. All original characters and plots are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

Cupid's Target

"Well," Mercury said, the wings on his sandals rapidly flapping, "who today? Who shall suffer from, as the French say, le coup de foudre, love at first sight?"

Cupid looked down at the people in Virginia City, scanning the environs from above and noticed Joe Cartwright strutting down the sidewalk, his heels clicking on the wood. Mercury noticed where Cupid's eyes were focused.

"Not him again?" Mercury groaned. "How many times have you struck him in this last year alone?"

"I've lost count but he's always so much fun to watch-moving from one girl to another all the time. Oh, and the chaos that ensues." Cupid giggled. "And just look." Mercury watched and noticed nothing unusual.

"What?"

"See how he can't help but watch himself in every store window he passes? That's from the time I struck him years ago when he was much younger and the first thing he saw afterwards was a reflection of himself-he's been madly in love ever since."

Mercury laughed. "Ah, the first love that one never forgets. And there's nothing like self-love-your objet d'amour is always there!" He took off at an angle and flipped and looped and then came back to face Cupid. The two young gods were out for the day, Cupid to feed his mother Venus' desire to see more love in the world in the hopes that people would praise her as they sang love songs and spoke words of endearment to their beloveds, but he had to have fun too and Joe was his favorite toy-Joe amused him so and Mercury, having a mischievous streak as well, had gone along to watch the fun ensue.

"See," Cupid said, "he's on his way to the saloon-he fell in love with a saloon girl a few weeks ago and his father has been having fits ever since; Joe wants to marry her." Cupid raised his brows, an amused smile on his face.

"Ah, disharmony abounds!" Mercury trilled and then laughed uproariously. Mercury darted around in the air, well aware that none of the mortals below could see him. "And so, what today?"

Cupid thought about what he could do, his wings moving just enough to keep him even and upright in the air. "I think….oh, look, his brother is coming. This raises new possibilities."

Mercury looked below and saw a large man approaching their target. "He looks as if he's fed from the ambrosia bowl once too often. But I like a man who overindulges and enjoys his life-it's so brief on their plane. So how does he work into your plan?" Mercury twirled his caduceus in his hand as he waited.

"Just watch…" Cupid said. "I've been manipulating Joe Cartwright long enough to know what will cause the most fun. Just like what these humans do with fish, I bait, hook and then play."

Mercury dove and dipped, even indulging in a few barrel rolls, his winged sandals and winged cap impelling him in whatever direction he chose while Cupid took one of the gold-tipped arrows out of his quiver and nocked it. He took aim and then released the arrow and it went swiftly through the air, flexing rapidly as it sought its target. It struck Hoss Cartwright smack in the middle of his chest and he was literally struck with love for the young woman, Sallie, who was approaching him. She was no great beauty but fair to middling, and was strolling down the sidewalk, oblivious to everything and everyone, her mind focused on buying a new hat. Hoss stood, his mouth gaping. Even though he had known her his whole life, Sallie had never before seemed so desirable; he had to have her. Joe stood on the sidewalk between them.

"What's the matter with you, Hoss?" Joe said. "If you don't close your mouth, a fly'll land on your tonsils." Joe then turned to look where Hoss was staring and Cupid, his arrow ready, let loose of the bowstring and Joe was smitten as well by the same woman; Cupid always hit his target.

"That's pure genius!" Mercury lauded, floating up and down beside Cupid.

"Oh, but I'm not through." Cupid reached into his quiver and this time, he pulled a lead-tipped arrow out-the arrow of indifference. Cupid aimed his arrow and let it fly. It whizzed through the air and struck the young woman who immediately saw two rather ordinary young men leering at her. Another woman might have identified their looks as love but she interpreted the Cartwright boys' expressions as vulgar and crude. Her mother had always warned her about them and her mother had been so very right. So huffing to herself, she crossed the street to avoid them but the two young men took off after her calling out her name. She walked faster and faster and looking behind her and seeing that they were quickly gaining on her, she grabbed up her skirts and took off running, both Hoss and Joe running after her. The other people on the street watched the pursuit, chuckling or standing in amazement. What were those Cartwright boys up to now? Literally chasing skirts?

"Now, Cupid said conspiratorially to Mercury, "I'll get that oldest brother involved. Then we'll have non-stop laughs!"

"You know I can't allow that," Mercury said, floating in front of Cupid. "I'm the protector of wits, poets and artists and the older brother, he's all of those and, well, I can't allow you to make a fool out of him. Sorry." Mercury completed a backwards flip in the air and was back facing Cupid.

"Oh, all right but one day, one day when you're not around to protect that man, I'll shoot him with an arrow of love, of hot desire and we'll see what happens. He can't avoid me forever!"

Mercury laughed. "One day I'm sure he will be struck and turn into a blithering idiot, spouting cloying love poetry and singing love songs to an indifferent female-but your mother will enjoy the emotions because his are very deep."

"Yes," Cupid said, "and that's why I want to involve him-can you imagine the fun though with the brotherly bickering? I could let that go on for months!"

"There IS the father, you know," Mercury said. He knew that Cupid would find the idea tempting.

"Ah," Cupid said. "How very tantalizing. I'm sure I can think of something new for him. I'm getting a little bored with Clementine Hawkins. Now who else can I have fall in love with him?"

"Oh, yes, who? Who shall it be?" And the two young, slender gods took off, shooting miles in a few seconds on their way to alter the fate of humans.

~Finis~


End file.
